Generally, sprinkler systems are used in a wide variety of applications, both indoor and outdoor. The installation and use of sprinkler systems outdoors presents a difficulty in environments in which the ambient temperature reaches below the freezing point. In those circumstances, the plumbing of the sprinkler systems must be cleared, or “blown out,” in order to prevent damage to the pipes, fittings and other elements of the system due to the expansion and contraction of water/ice. Typically, a sprinkler system blowout occurs in two steps. First, the water in and around the plumbing near the system's water inlet is drained as the system pressure is bled. Next, a source of pressurized air is coupled to the sprinkler system plumbing and actuated, forcing the remaining water throughout the plumbing through the sprinkler system outlets at the various sprinkler head locations, thereby draining the system in preparation of freezing temperatures.
Where sprinkler use during cold seasons is not needed, the sprinkler systems are often blown out once before cold weather sets in. However, there are presently many uses for sprinkler systems that require consistent, repeated sprinkler system use, even during cold weather. For example, in several industries involving the care, sale, showing, competition and service of livestock, the groundcover utilized in both indoor and outdoor spaces often consists of mixtures of sand, soil, sawdust and other particulate that can become dry and powdery. When these substances are in such a dry state they can easily get stirred up by livestock movement, thereby becoming airborne.
The need to keep groundcover damp is especially strong in the horse showing and competition industry. While any type of livestock or other “show” animals—including cattle, sheep, dogs and the like—that exist or experience similar conditions will benefit from the present invention, many indoor and outdoor arenas now exist in which horses are ridden for recreation, performance or competitive purposes. Horse performance or practice arenas will be used to illustrate the many benefits and advantages of the present invention, but applications thereof need not be limited to that. Practicing or performing on horseback in an indoor or outdoor arena occurs on a daily basis throughout the country. In order to keep the dust down and prevent it from becoming airborne, arena owners first began to periodically spray a light mist of water from a garden hose attached to a water source. Such methods, however, proved to be time consuming and burdensome, as someone was forced to drag a hose around the arena. It was also inefficient because of the uneven application of water, and sometimes even ineffective.
To overcome these problems, many arenas began installing overhead sprinkler systems, similar to those installed for fire prevention inside commercial buildings, or in the lawns and gardens of residential homes. Some systems are programmed to cycle on and off periodically to keep the groundcover at a particular level of dampness. Many systems now typically utilize controllers—for example those produced under the popular Hunter brand—to set the sprinkler systems to actuate automatically at preprogrammed time intervals. However, for outdoor and unheated indoor arenas in cold climates, the sprinkler systems continue to be at risk of freezing. Because many arenas operate year round, the sprinkler systems must be utilized often during winter months. Thus, to avoid damage caused by freezing, the sprinkler systems must be blown out after nearly every use—a significantly arduous task. Furthermore, a failure to blowout a system between uses can easily create significant costs for the arena owners.
Furthermore, the cost of even a seasonal service call to have a sprinkler system blown out in preparation for nonuse during winter months can be significant. However, no prior art systems are available that allow for efficient, automatic blowout of a sprinkler system without the need to prepare the plumbing, attach additional equipment and conduct the blowout.